


That beta

by EaSnowPw



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha Tony Stark, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Stephen Strange, M/M, Smut, dubcon, heat - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 01:49:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20649230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EaSnowPw/pseuds/EaSnowPw
Summary: "I want that one."Rhodey rolled his eyes, then smacked his friend over his head. Hard. Tony Stark, ultimate alpha, wouldn't get the message otherwise. This was going to be painful.





	That beta

"I want that one."  
  
Rhodey rolled his eyes, then smacked his friend over his head. Hard. Tony Stark, ultimate alpha, wouldn't get the message otherwise.  
  
"Down, boy. One, that's a beta and you know all betas have an instinctive repulsion for you." It didn't really work that way, but, apparently, his charms that worked incredibly well on omegas made betas flee. Being dominant only got you so far in life. "And two, if you bug the fucking Sorcerer Supreme, he might choose not to work with us. Fury will kill you. Or worse, he'll make Nat kill you."  
  
That got the alpha to shiver in fear. He rubbed his head with a pout.  
  
"But I want that one."  
  
"Yeah, well, for the first time ever, your dick won't get what it wants." Rhodey rolled his eyes. "You're into omegas, anyway. What got into you?"  
  
"I don't know. But. I. Want." He made grabby hand motions.  
  
Rhodey groaned. This was going to be painful.

* * *

"Would you like a drink?"  
  
Stephen turned towards Tony, who was pleasantly offering him a glass of champagne. He took it hesitantly, looking at the contents with a critical eye.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Don't worry, I didn't spice it up. The trust in you, Strange," the alpha commented with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"Nothing of the sort," the sorcerer assured him. "Alcohol and magic don't mix well." Still, he took a sip. "I need to be careful and moderate."  
  
"Don't mix well as in rabbit doesn't come out of the hat or it might be an alligator?"  
  
"Definitely the latter and it comes out even without a hat."  
  
This time, Tony stared pointedly when Stephen took a sip.  
  
"Well, then I must say that there's a mean orange juice over there. And some water."  
  
The beta laughed.  
  
And Tony thought it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

* * *

"Your house is haunted," Tony declared, stepping into the library. Stephen looked up from his book with an amused smile.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"I'm on the first floor, right?" A nod. "I didn't climb any stairs."  
  
The beta chuckled, then smiled fondly. Tony's stupid heart fluttered. Dumb organ that did more than it was supposed to.  
  
"The spells on the sanctum make it sentient. Usually, it mirrors the mood and thoughts of its master."  
  
"So it poked fun at me cuz that's what you wanna do? I'm hurt, Stephanie. Here I was bringing you food and you let your haunted house pull my leg? Hurt," he teased.  
  
"You got food?"  
  
"Hurt," the alpha reiterated. Still, he dangled the bags in his hand with a wide smirk.  
  
"I apologise for the sanctum's behaviour. Could you possibly find forgiveness in your heart, oh, kind almighty alpha?"  
  
"Oh, apology and flattery. You're good, beta."   
  
Tony grinned and approached the table, carelessly dumping the food on it. Stephen had magically vanished his books right on time. The engineer then sat down on a freshly conjured chair.  
  
"So what brings you here?" the sorcerer inquired as he started eating.  
  
"What, I can't visit my favourite witch?"  
  
"Not much of a praise when I'm competing with someone who used mind control on you."  
  
"Ouch, you're mean. I like you."  
  
Again, the beta laughed. Tony considered replacing his heart with one made out of nanites. Perhaps then it wouldn't be so disobedient.  
  
"But really, I want to get to know you. And I brought a peace offering."  
  
"Acceptable. If you bring some for Wong too next time, you might receive an invitation to move in."  
  
"Oh, good to know. What do I bring to receive an invite into your room?" Tony asked with a wink.  
  
The beta blushed.  
  
"That's... not available at this time. My apologies." He looked at the tray from which he'd been eating. "If that's your aim, I should warn you now that I'm married to magic."  
  
"Pity," the alpha replied without missing a beat. "Though I guess it makes sense for a beta. Do you guys even have a libido?"  
  
"Not in the way alphas and omegas do. Sex is less intense, I guess."  
  
"Boring~."  
  
"Of course an alpha would say that."  
  
"I'm not an alpha, I'm the alpha, baby." Tony winked. "But fine. I would still like to know you. Contrary to popular belief, I am capable of interacting with people without adding my dick to the mix."  
  
"As proved by colonel Rhodes and Mrs Potts."  
  
"Exactly. See? I can be good."  
  
"I suppose you might yet be house trained."  
  
"Hey!" The alpha yelped in protest, making the beta laugh again.  
  
Oh, he could get used to this. It was enough.

* * *

"Ah, ah, ha... Stephen!"  
  
"What did you just say?" the pretty omega in his arms inquired.  
  
Tony covered his face in mortification. The man shifted, tugging on his knot.  
  
"Shit, I'm sorry."  
  
"What did you call me?"  
  
"Another name."  
  
"Tony... you called me Stephen." The alpha winced. "As in Stephen Strange, the beta?" Tony wanted to die. "Is there anything between you two?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you want it to be?"  
  
"You know what? I don't have to listen to you. As soon as your heat's over, you can get your money and fuck off."  
  
"Insulted, alpha? That I can tell that you're lusting after a beta of all things? Someone empty of pheromones, who can't take your knot?" The omega threw his head back and started laughing.  
  
Tony growled and turned them over, making the other gasp in pain when he pulled on his knot, deliberately hurting him. The omega whined, baring his neck, submissive.  
  
"You thought you got any power, omega?" He bit above his mating gland, to keep him down. "You felt so good, pulling one over me. Well, no more! I don't have to listen to your bullshit."  
  
"I'm sorry," the omega whispered.  
  
"You better be."  
  
Still, after kicking out the still heated omega (to a lower floor, he wasn't nearly cruel enough to leave him on the streets while he was vulnerable), Tony lay in bed, thinking.  
  
"Shit."  
  
He'd tried to think about something else, someone other than the beta. That beta. Fucking Stephen Strange. The most amazing man he'd ever met.

* * *

A few hours later, he was at the sanctum, beer in hand, sitting next to Stephen.  
  
"Are we going to talk about how you said you'd found yourself an omega and not to bother you?" the beta asked sharply.  
  
"Nope." Tony downed his drink, grinning when the cup refilled itself.  
  
"Did he change his mind?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Did you change your mind?"  
  
"Sorta."  
  
The alpha left his beer on the table and stretched back, staring at the impassive beta. He'd told Rhodey he wanted this one. Well, now it was bordering on need. Why? Why did his perfect partner have to be a beta? Worse yet, this beta? He might have been able to hook up with another one.  
  
"I figured you're better company, Merlin."  
  
"Flattered as I might be, I'm a different kind of company."  
  
"Intelligent company."  
  
Stephen looked unimpressed, but he didn't pursue the topic.  
  
Tony was relieved that the beta had dropped it. What could he even tell him? "Hey, I have a weird and frankly sick obsession with you. So sick that I moaned your name during sex. The omega was an annoying bitch about it so I kicked him out. Now I'm here like the sucker I am. Might as well torture myself with what I can't have."  
  
Yeah, that'd go well. The alpha groaned, discreetly pulling on his hair. He needed a distraction.  
  
"So, hey, I made you something. Never found the right time to give it to you," he tried. The beta fell for it.  
  
"You really didn't have to."  
  
"Too late, I did. So be a good wizard and open a portal to my workshop." Stephen complied, rolling his eyes. "Good boy. I'll be back in a sec."  
  
He stepped through, rummaged around a bit, then returned with a red box with a yellow bow. Stephen deadpanned.  
  
"Such an odd and unfamiliar choice of colours. What could have possibly inspired you?"  
  
"Ha. Ha. Get off my ass. You wear red too," the alpha retorted. "And the green necklace? Totally clashing with the rest of your outfit. You have the right to remain silent, fashion murderer."  
  
"My so called fashion choices are more for utility than aesthetic."  
  
The Cloak bristled in offence.  
  
"Not you, blanket of death," the alpha soothed. "You're awesome and I'd steal you any day, but he doesn't know how to bring out that amazing red."  
  
Stephen had opened the box and was now staring at its contents. Tony couldn't tell whether he liked his gift or not.  
  
"You're killing me with all that enthusiasm, Merlin."  
  
"What are these?"  
  
"Put them on and find out, though I'm pretty sure that sexy brain has already figured it out."  
  
He didn't react to the endearment, which worried Tony even more.  
  
"I..." He seemed to have broken the beta. "I can't take this."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. I made them for you. Put them on."  
  
Stephen gave another feeble protest, but Tony would have none of it. Gentle but stubborn, his hands pulled Stephen's close and slid the gloves on. They were loose, but a small button on the wrist fixed that. Tony sat back down in his seat with an expectant look.  
  
"Try them."  
  
The sorcerer looked at his hands, flexing and extending his fingers a few times. The normal tremors were greatly reduced, almost non-existent.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Tony..."  
  
"I want you to have these. We're friends and I made them for you. I'd be terribly offended if you refused."  
  
Stephen hesitated. Tony was marking him, a typical alpha behaviour. The beta would have something that undoubtedly came from Tony Stark, which meant that, in a twisted way, he belonged to him, was part of his pack. As if reading his mind, Tony continued  
  
"You don't have to wear them all the time. But if your hands are acting up... I want these to help." He really just wanted to help. He'd noticed that the beta had bad days with his hands and he knew enough about chronic pain.  
  
Stephen couldn't refuse at that point.  
  
"Ok. Thank you. They will be very useful."  
  
Still, he kept them on until Tony left.

* * *

"YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH!" Tony snarled, slamming his hands on top of the headmaster's desk. His eyes were wild, angry, nostrils flaring and an incessant growl was pouring from his throat.  
  
Flash and his alpha father went pale. Peter whined in warning. At the omega sound, Tony sat back down, crossing his arms with an angry glower. He was still growling.  
  
"I don't think this level of involvement is necessary..." the alpha headmaster tried.  
  
Tony snatched the file in front of the other man and browsed through it. He flipped it over and slammed it down, pointing to a recorded complaint from 3 months prior.  
  
"It is because you're not doing your job! Peter's been reporting this behaviour for months and you only did this now because I complained!" he snarled.  
  
The other three alphas winced.  
  
"So either do something or I'll fix this the old school way!" He turned towards Flash. "If I ever hear you touched any child whatsoever, I'll meet you behind the school. You know the place, right? You punched my kid there twice!" He bared his teeth.  
  
The other parent stood up abruptly. He was taller, but that had never stopped Tony Stark.  
  
"Mr Stark!"  
  
"Get your kid in line! You think this shit will pass once he's out of this dumpster? He'll be unemployed faster than you can snap your fingers! Think this behaviour will pass in any self-respecting company? He'll be kicked out the same day!"  
  
"Mr Stark, I think they got it," Peter said hesitantly.  
  
"You and I will be having a long talk at home," the alpha warned, his tone much warmer but stern nonetheless. Peter nodded.  
  
"I think detention is a good place to start," the headmaster finally decided.  
  
"Sure, how about the rest of the year?" Tony suggested with fake sweetness.  
  
Peter repressed a sigh. This would be a long conversation. At least Flash looked traumatised.

* * *

Tony emerged from his lab when Friday told him that Peter had returned from school. He'd opted to let the kid finish his school day. He'd missed enough classes for Avengers related business.  
  
The kid was in the reading room, on the couch, cuddled up against Stephen, whom Tony hadn't even known was around. The sorcerer was reading, book floating, while he was running a shaky hand though the teenager's hair. Peter was purring.  
  
Tony hesitated in the doorway, taking in the sight of the beta comforting his omega protegé. What was it they taught in schools? Alphas give protection, omegas comfort, betas knowledge. Wrong. Betas were just as capable of providing comfort, Peter's relaxed purr being a solid proof of that.  
  
"I think I'm in love," Tony said aloud, only half-joking.  
  
"Can I keep Dr Strange as my pseudo-mother?" Peter asked, burrowing closer to the sorcerer, who smiled fondly at him. It was a new look on the beta.  
  
"Depends. I know he's not interested in spouses, but children? You tell me, Stranger," Tony teased.  
  
"I am willing to help fill in any necessary role when available," the beta stated.  
  
"Wow, for a second there I pegged you omega, but nope, you're back," Tony snarked good-naturally. He shoved at Peter's feet and sat down, accepting them in his lap. "Hey, do you mind closing your ears, beta? Gotta have a talk with the squirt." Peter's purring abruptly stopped. "You can stay like that, but I want to talk."  
  
"I could leave..." Stephen offered. His book closed and gently sat on the table.  
  
"No!" Peter bolted up, back pressed to the beta's side. "I mean, it's fine, right, Mr Stark?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Look, I just want to know why you didn't even protect yourself when you can lift a truck and throw it ten blocks."  
  
"They played on my being an omega."  
  
Tony saw red. He wanted to go find all the boys who'd ever laid a finger on his kid and rip them to shreds. Had Peter told him that earlier that day, he would've suited up on the spot. How dare they?  
  
"Tony, breathe," Stephen's calm voice reached his ears. Peter was staring at him with wide eyes. He realized that he'd been growling loudly, scent tainted with anger. "I'll teach you a few things on how to avoid that," he told Peter.  
  
Tony didn't react at first, because something surprising had happened. He'd begun calming down. It shouldn't have been possible without an omega actively working at it, but it was happening. Stephen's weak hand was rubbing his shoulder, the motion soothing his frazzled nerves.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I was a doctor. We had a few courses on behaviour. I can guarantee that they work."  
  
"That's so cool."  
  
"Thank you. We'll do it later, after Tony's calmed down. I'll teach you some de-escalation tricks too."  
  
Tony was able to breathe through the fog of anger, yet he chose not to talk. He was too busy staring at his kid and the beta who seemed to have also taken him under his wing and god, how Peter needed someone who understood him. Tony would have preferred an omega, but a beta who knew behaviour would do for the time being.

* * *

"Order me to do something," Peter told Tony a few hours later.  
  
Stephen had taken the kid to the sanctum for his "lesson", and he'd apparently just returned him.  
  
"Give me the wrench."  
  
"No."  
  
Tony tilted his head to the side. Hmm... This might be worth testing.  
  
"Give me the wrench, Peter," he repeated, with more force. The omega shook his head, still grinning. "I mean it. I need that thing." The grin widened. "Give me the wrench," Tony ordered, now infused with his alpha dominant voice.  
  
He was a bit disheartened that the omega seemed compelled to obey him as he picked up the item, until the little shit moved it further away. Tony was speechless for a few moments.  
  
"I'm both impressed and annoyed. Now please give me that thing. I actually need it."  
  
Peter laughed and fetched the item with his webbing.

* * *

"You're an idiot," Stephen snapped at him. "A reckless idiot!"  
  
"So what, I was supposed to let you seal yourself into another dimension and battle those demons to death?" Tony asked with a low growl. "Grow up and be a team player, Strange! We won."  
  
"You have no idea of the risks..."  
  
"No, but I know that one of mine almost died. I'm not-"  
  
"I'm not yours!" the beta snarled. "Not your mate, not your pack, not your friend!" Tony's eyes widened. "So fuck off and don't interfere in my battles!" The sorcerer left through a portal.  
  
Tony Stark, ultimate alpha, roared in rage and pain.

* * *

"Doctor Strange is requesting entry to the laboratory."  
  
"Tell him to go fuck himself."  
  
"He said, quote 'I will do that too when he's done with me, but let me just say my part.'"  
  
A small part of Tony wanted to cause harm. He flinched at the thought. That was the darker side of his instincts, never to be indulged. Some thought it had driven him to build the armour, but no, it had been the opposite.  
  
Still, hurting the other with his words might help.  
  
Stephen stepped in with an appropriate level of submission.  
  
"Stark, I'm sorry. I-"  
  
"Cool story."  
  
"I just got used to handling these things myself and-"  
  
"Enjoy your early grave."  
  
"I'm sorry I snapped at you-"  
  
"Bet you 10 bucks you aren't."  
  
"But I was scared that you could get hurt and I-"  
  
Wait.  
  
"You were scared that I could get hurt?" the alpha asked. The beta nodded hesitantly and wow, okay, umm, when had anyone last tried to prevent him from getting hurt?  
  
"You rushed in without knowing what I was facing and... and I was afraid their venom would catch you off guard." Stephen sighed. "It could've killed you, To-Stark, even with your armour."  
  
"Well, I obviously survived."  
  
Stephen bristled in a very mother hen way.  
  
"That's not making you less reckless!"  
  
"Aww, you care~!" The beta looked away. "About little old me? I'm flattered." Tony walked to the sorcerer.  
  
"Well, we're friends, right? Of course I care. I'm just very bad at showing it."  
  
"Sure, sure." A strong, caloused hand gripped the front of the sorcerer's robes and yanked him close to the alpha's face. "Hear me well, Stephen. You pull shit like that again and I'm done with your magical ass. Done," he stressed. "Are we clear?"  
  
The beta gulped and nodded eagerly. Tony let him go.  
  
"I understand. As an apology present, I brought you... this."  
  
He offered Tony a white rock. The shorter man deadpanned as he scanned it.  
  
"You'll have to do better than a shiny white rock."  
  
"Look into it and think of someone, anyone. It'll show you what they're doing."  
  
Tony visibly brightened at that. He could place trackers all he wanted, a visual was always better.  
  
"Peter," he said, staring into the stone. Nothing happened at first. When he was ready to snap at the sorcerer and call him a liar, he finally saw his underoos with his friend (Ned, maybe), with identical frowns on their faces as they carefully built a Lego figure.  
  
"Wow." He was genuinely impressed. "You're 75% forgiven."  
  
"What about the rest?"  
  
"I don't know, lick my boots and we'll see."  
  
"I can live with 75."  
  
Tony laughed good-naturally.

* * *

He'd taken to randomly checking on people he knew (When he was 100% sure they weren't having sex, thanks for that lesson Happy). So when it occurred to him to see what the wizard was up to, he was hardly expecting anything other than a stack of books. Perhaps a nap. Eating if he was dramatic. Maybe nothing.  
  
Nope, Stephen was in a prison cell.  
  
Some satellite tracking later, Tony had located his wizard and initiated a rescue by himself. Steve was going to have an aneurysm.

* * *

Getting captured while trying to rescue Stephen was among the least proud moments of Tony's life.  
  
"How's the rescue going?" his cell-mate inquired drily when he saw him.  
  
Tony just scoffed.  
  
"Don't blame me, you're the big bad wizard who got caught by noobs. I can maybe pull a card trick on a good day."

* * *

After a day or so, something strange happened. Tony sniffed at the air, looking around with a confused frown. It was a familiar smell, husky, heavy and oh so arousing.  
  
"Umm... Stephen?"  
  
The beta had been curled up in a corner for a while, carefully hiding his face in his arms. Now, he lifted his head, revealing his flushed face. Tony stopped breathing, all blood rushing south. It couldn't be...  
  
"You're not imagining it. I took suppressants my whole life, then magic sort of nullified my biological functions." He shivered, pulling on his clothes. "Apparently, this prison doesn't only suppress my magic, but also its side effects."  
  
Tony stared, mouth watering, as the be... no, omega tried to make himself comfortable when his heat really took off. The alpha moaned, biting his hand when the scent of omega heat invaded his nostrils and threatened to cloud his judgement.  
  
"Fuck, Stephen. Do you want me to...? Shit, you smell exquisite."  
  
The omega was panting lightly, staring right at him. He looked perfectly edible, legs parted instinctively as he was rocking his hips lightly.  
  
"Shouldn't," he replied, closing his eyes. "We don't have condoms. And I'm not on anything."  
  
"Alright. Believe it or not, I can control myself."  
  
Stephen offered a weak smile.  
  
"Thank you."

* * *

That didn't make things any easier, for either of them. The scent of an aroused alpha was apparently harmful for the omega. Stephen's fever mounted, rendering him incoherent. He couldn't masturbate, which would have usually helped, because he knew it would torture the alpha uselessly. He was aroused enough as it was. Tony was, willingly or not, pumping pheromones, which, in turn, increased Stephen's heat. It was a vicious circle, their issues amplifying each other. The omega pulled on his clothes, loosening them to allow air to cool him down. He was distantly aware of the alpha staring at him. They'd taken to lying in opposite corners of the cell and tried to avoid moving too much.  
  
After half a day, Tony braced himself and approached the omega, who wasn't even cognizant at that point. He pressed his cold hands to the other's heated face, trying to shake some consciousness into him. No response.  
  
He wasn't even thinking about sex anymore, not consciously at least. This was concerning. He'd heard of omegas spending their heats alone, but he never imagined it could get this bad. Stephen was just limp and burning. Hell, now he felt protective of his companion, which was a new experience for him, Peter notwithstanding.  
  
"Stephen? Hey, is this normal? Fuck, it can't be. Open your eyes."  
  
He barely got a weak whimper in response, so he cradled the omega close, then brought him over to the sink for some water, worried about dehydration with how much he'd been sweating.  
  
"Stephen? Hey, don't die on me."  
  
The omega's eyelids fluttered and he got another whimper. Tony mentally cheered, but his victory was short lived. He was yanked into a hard kiss and that was the moment when his brain stopped working and instinct took over.

* * *

He could remember hurried movements, feverish need and a hot body in his arms, calling out his name. Heat, desperate heat. Need, an all-encompassing need. Calls for more, harder.  
  
Then darkness.

* * *

When Tony woke up, it was to a miserable-looking omega who was trying to cover himself with his ruined robes, with varying degrees of success.  
  
"You said you could control yourself," he complained weakly. His sad smell was permeating the air.  
  
Tony buckled his belt and zipped his pants. The button was ruined and his shirt was a lost cause.  
  
"I... I got worried when you looked like you were dying."  
  
"So you fucked me?" The alpha winced at the omega's distress. Stephen looked away, his misery obvious.  
  
"You started it!"  
  
"I thought I could trust you! Now I might be pregnant!" His voice broke as he curled in on himself again.  
  
"Stephen..." Tony tried, but the omega shook his head. "We'll take care of that as soon as we get out."  
  
The omega looked scandalized.  
  
"How could you even suggest that?" His arms pressed tighter around his middle, protective. Tony felt like he'd kicked a puppy. "If you don't want the baby, that's fine, I guess, but no, I won't... I'm not going to kill it." His smell was still all over the place, his pain a nauseating scent for the alpha.  
  
"What do you want me to say, then? What do you want, omega?" Tony growled. He was on edge himself, not happy with the latest development, so his dominant voice slipped.  
  
The little shit looked away, defiant. Wait a moment, omegas shouldn't be able to disobey an alpha so directly, unless...  
  
Tony went pale.  
  
"Stephen..."  
  
"What now?" he snapped, growling.  
  
"Let me see your mating gland."  
  
The omega's eyes widened. No. That couldn't be happening. Still, from lack of a mirror, he turned his head and pulled his shirt down, revealing it to Tony. The choked gasp from the alpha told him everything.  
  
"When we get out..." the sorcerer began, slowly, "I will kill you." However, he had to know. "Show me yours."  
  
Tony obediently revealed his own, bitten and recently claimed. Stephen whined, low in his throat. He'd bitten the alpha first. He'd kissed him first.  
  
The thoughts slammed into him like bullets. He'd initiated everything. He could yell at Tony all he wanted, he'd just responded instinctively. They'd both been strung out, but Tony had tried to do the right thing and check on him when he'd passed out and Stephen... he'd jumped him like a stupid bitch in heat.  
  
"Stephen?" the alpha asked, having smelled the new wave of panic. "Hey." He lifted an arm, unsure whether he'd be allowed to approach his new... mate. Well then, he'd have to get used to that.  
  
The omega was now sobbing in self-loathing. The smell made Tony turn around to kneel, dry-heaving. He would've puked, but his stomach was empty. Their captors had allowed them a sink with maybe drinkable water, but little to no food. His instincts were yelling at him painfully, tugging at his body, but he resisted because he didn't even know if Stephen would look at him, much less accept his touch.  
  
"Tony?" The omega was suddenly in front of him, wide teary eyes covered in concern. He was gorgeous, and that wasn't just the blooming mate bond talking. The alpha had been attracted to him for a while and now, to have him forever... it was an unhoped for gift.  
  
"I'm fine," he assured, wiping at his mouth. Just a little drool. "I'm sorry I took advantage of you. I really didn't mean-"  
  
Then he found a pair of lips on top of his, warm and bitter, but oh so welcome. Tony leaned closer, chasing the feeling. His instincts were purring with pleasure, thoughts of 'mate' echoing in his mind. Comfort, safety. His nausea settled. All tension left his body.  
  
It ended too quickly.  
  
"That must've been disgusting," he told the omega. He'd been puking and they hadn't brushed their teeth in ages.  
  
Stephen shook his head and kissed him again, this time with tongue. And again. And again. Until his smell turned erotic, like before. He hadn't been able to pick it up through the earlier distress. Even now, it was mixed with insecurity.  
  
"My heat's not over," the omega whispered.  
  
"This means you're not pregnant, right?" Tony asked. That much he knew.  
  
He got a nod in response and a hesitant glance to the side.  
  
"There are other ways of ending my heat, not just penetration..." He'd been reluctant earlier, unwilling to ruin their relationship. Well, that had backfired spectacularly.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"We're mated, Tony. I need... I want this." He needed the assurance from his new mate. He needed to feel desired. Ugh, he'd hated his omega instincts and that hadn't changed.  
  
"Okay."  
  
He pulled the omega up, to straddle his hips and kissed him again, deep and intimate. Stephen purred, melting in his arms, just enjoying the almost innocent touches, until his body heated up, demanding sex.  
  
"Tony..." he breathed out.  
  
"I know. Relax, sweetheart."  
  
Still, the omega began grinding on the alpha. He hadn't had a heat in many years. The burning feelings in his body were unfamiliar and urgent. Tony was more in control of himself, having had many omegas in heat over the years. He kissed his partner, taking care to keep him submissive.  
  
"Shh, I'll take care of you."  
  
"Tony... Tony..."  
  
He reached into the other's pants, immediately sliding two fingers into his entrance. He easily found his prostate, unwilling to waste any time. The omega whined loudly, closing his eyes. He was open, slick dripping from him. Ripe.  
  
Tony shoved him away, turning him around and sliding his pants off. He knelt in front of him, grinning.  
  
"Alpha?"  
  
"Relax, omega," he purred.  
  
Stephen nodded, whining when the alpha quickly took him in his mouth. Tony sucked a few times and rubbed the omega's prostate, unwilling to waste any time. He could smell the other's state, the distress and desperation. It wasn't his first omega. It wasn't his first overwhelmed omega, either. Stephen came with a shout.  
  
Far from letting his partner regain his wits after his climax, Tony immediately pushed him to his back and claimed his lips, grinding down on him. The omega responded eagerly, his heat barely tamed by his first orgasm.  
  
"Think I can get you off once more before I have to cum."  
  
"No, it's... it's fine."  
  
"How about 69?"  
  
Well, that would be a nice way of ending his heat.

* * *

When Stephen's heat died down, they settled down on a bed, cuddling. Their combined smell was potent in the air, a heavy fragrance that spelled home.  
  
"I won't tell anyone you're an omega," Tony promised him, unprompted. "Unless you want me to."  
  
"No, I'd rather you kept the secret. I'll be your beta."  
  
Tony inhaled his scent.  
  
"Unless you're pregnant."  
  
"I'm not. Stop pestering me on that," Stephen complained.  
  
"Your smell changed."  
  
"Yes, because it's the first time I'm not on suppressants."  
  
"Would you be angry with me?" Tony took a deep breath when his omega didn't answer. "If you were pregnant, I mean."  
  
"No. I wouldn't be exactly ecstatic, but I wouldn't be angry with you."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"I would keep the baby."  
  
"I'll own up to it and be a father."  
  
"Good. But I'm not pregnant."

* * *

Their rescue was dramatic. The Avengers went all out, blowing up a hole in the ceiling, but Wong was the one who released them from their cage and magicked on their clothes with a deadpan. Stephen regained his magic almost instantly, Wong opened a portal for Tony to summon his armour and the three of them joined the fight.

* * *

It was a pathetically short scuffle, over with barely any losses from them. Tony would have been embarrassed had he not had more pressing matters to tend to.  
  
After they'd escaped, Stephen's omega smell had been slowly dwindling, enough that the others barely noticed it.   
  
Tony wasn't so lucky. His mate's smell was dying down, which his instincts were interpreting as his mate dying. He looked for the sorcerer's gaze, trying to fight down his growing panic. He was right there, damn it, safe and sound! His magic was simply repressing his pheromone production.  
  
Stephen soon noticed his predicament and excused both of them, dragging his alpha out and into a private corner of the quinjet.  
  
"Tony, calm down," he said soothingly, running his arms over the alpha to assure him. His pheromones were very faint, but still there for the time being.  
  
"I can't," the alpha growled. "Your smell's fading." He was pulling on the beta, pressing his nose against bare skin desperately, seeking his mating gland.  
  
Stephen kissed him deeply. Tony pushed back, all teeth and tongue. He couldn't settle his protective instincts at ease.  
  
"Bite me again," Stephen muttered against his lips.  
  
"Would that help?"  
  
"Might. You'll get reaccustomed to my smell."  
  
The illusion hiding the bonding mark vanished and Tony bit right over the previous one. Stephen whined, the sound undoubtedly omega in nature. Tony's brain was invaded by his mate's new smell, his own personal fragrance. Betas lacked pheromones, but their personal scents were stronger.  
  
Tony withdrew and saw the mark vanish, but still felt the connection and that new smell. He could get used to this.  
  
"Better?" The sorcerer's voice was a deep purr. Very unomega. Much beta.  
  
"Much better."  
  
After a short peck, they returned to the others.

* * *

Betas lacked pheromone sensitivity. Relationships between betas and omegas or alphas were frowned upon, which Tony thought was a bunch of bullshit, but now he had to reluctantly admit that there was some truth to it. Stephen didn't need him, plain and simple. The beta was insensitive to his needs, to his urges to reach out and claim, scent, protect. Nada. Nothing. The beta didn't feel it. And when Tony tried to up his pheromone production to get his mate in the mood, he got no response.  
  
"Is there anything the matter?" Stephen eventually asked. Tony had been glowering at him for a while.  
  
"I want to bend you over your desk and fuck you hard," the alpha growled lowly. Betas needed these things spelled out.  
  
"Oh." Stephen closed his book with a loud thud. "Might I suggest the bedroom? Wong can be scary."  
  
"You can suggest the moon, as long as I get to burry my dick in you within the next 2 minutes."  
  
They both appeared in the bedroom, naked. Tony pounced. Physically, Stephen was still an omega. At least Tony got that. His mate could take a knot. He could take some rough, punishing sex, the way the alpha instinctively wanted to deliver now. He slammed into his mate with angry abandon, probably harder than he should've, but he was frustrated beyond reason at this point. They were on completely different wavelengths.  
  
After the act, Tony rolled off his ome... beta, panting heavily. He glanced at his mate, who was now getting dressed with a dark look. Tony pulled himself up, scanning him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I should probably be the one asking that question," Stephen replied ruefully. He smelled of distress, but Tony couldn't pinpoint the exact cause.  
  
"I asked first."  
  
"If you're angry or... bothered by something, I'd much rather we talked than have angry sex."  
  
"Beta," the alpha accused, trying to be playful.  
  
"Exactly. So tell me." Stephen sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"I..." Tony growled, unsure how to explain himself. "Is there really no way of returning your pheromones to you?"  
  
His mate looked like he'd been slapped. Hurt. That was the smell. Now that he'd identified it, Tony couldn't ignore it.  
  
"No. Even if there was, I wouldn't do it."  
  
"Why not? Am I really that unimportant to you?"  
  
"Is my individuality so disturbing to you?"  
  
"What?" Tony's anger came to a screeching halt.  
  
Stephen shrugged, looking away. The scent was potent, despite the lack of pheromones. His mate was feeling rejected.  
  
They were on entirely different wavelengths.  
  
"The way I see it, omegas tend to be more or less the same. Some might try to fight against their instincts, but, in the end, heats will normalize everything. They all submit to alphas. I know it's just a game to you, getting your ego stroked, but..." He shrugged. "I never saw it as anything else but omegas submitting to alphas. And I don't want to do that."  
  
"How can you see your own people like that?" Tony asked in pure disbelief. "Omegas are beautiful and strong. I've slept with dozens and no two are the same, even during their heats. Yes, if I'm a dick and I use my alpha voice, they listen, but what happens afterwards varies. Some kick me in the balls, for example. I don't need you to submit, Stephen. I just... I got used to communicating with my pheromones and you're not meeting me halfway. You're not even a manipulative omega, you're just not interested in me. Actually, screw the pheromones. I miss you. You know that? I go crazy when you don't keep in touch for a week at a time and it looks like you barely care about that." The alpha was now sitting up with a vulnerable look on his face. "Do you even feel this fucking bond or should I find someone else and call it a day?"  
  
An instinctive whine squeezed out of Stephen at the suggestion. Good.  
  
"Of course I feel it. It's probably muted, but..."  
  
"Really? Because it honestly doesn't feel that way."  
  
"Time flows differently in other realms. I... it barely feels like days to me."  
  
"But you don't miss me. You don't need my scent on you. My presence or lack of it doesn't directly impact your mood," Tony accused. He got up and started pulling his clothes on.  
  
"What are you doing?" Stephen asked. His scent was slipping into his voice.  
  
"Leaving you the fuck alone," Tony replied. He was getting sick of this conversation. He quickly buttoned his shirt and prepared to leave, only to have his arm grabbed by the beta.  
  
"Tony..."  
  
"What?" the alpha growled, angry and hurt by his mate. As far as he was concerned, they were done.  
  
"Don't go. Let's figure something out."  
  
"Like what? Spend an hour with me every day like we're negotiating child fucking custody? What's the point, beta?" He'd snarled the last word like an insult.  
  
"You know I can't afford to be an omega with my job."  
  
"I don't want you to be an omega. I want you to feel like crawling out of your skin when we've been apart," the alpha snapped, stalking towards his mate, who took a step back. "I want you to feel better when we're in the same room, not act like you're doing me a favour by indulging in my stupid instincts. I want you to look like the sun only rises when we're together, like I can make you feel safe. But that's too much, isn't it? Fine, I'll lower the bar: I want you to come see me when you get back from your wacky trips. On your own volition. Because we've been dating for a year, doc, and I'm always the one coming here unprompted, never the other way round. If you can't even do that, no dice. I'll get rid of the mark and you can enjoy your happy magic marriage."  
  
There were a few moments of complete silence, while Tony just glared at his mate. Stephen... Well, Stephen looked terrified, his smell tinged with fear, but he didn't hurry to agree. That really hurt. Tony had been aware that he'd always be the more emotionally invested one in their relationship, but this was crossing a line. Was Stephen weighting the pros and cons? Tony had only demanded one thing from him, something that should've come instinctively. Couldn't he give even that much? Was there really no attachment from his side? Not even a bit of the friendship they'd been building?  
  
"I guess silence is also an answer," he added ruefully.  
  
"Talk to me," Stephen blurted out.  
  
"The fuck? What have I been doing here, making candy?" Tony snapped.  
  
"Yes, I mean no, not now," Stephen hurried to explain. "I tried to think of a better way to explain this, but here goes: whenever something bothers you in the least, tell me. If you do that, I'll listen. Like now, I'll do it. I never realised this was so important to you, but now I do and I'll fix it. Okay?"  
  
The alpha sighed.  
  
"I suppose expecting unconditional agreement was a bit much."

* * *

Despite having told Tony that he wouldn't even try, Stephen found a spell that would make him an omega again, temporarily. He supposed that if they ever by some miracle decided to have children, it might come in handy. More importantly, it would show him what he would have been feeling had he been an omega.  
  
He figured 1 minute was enough for a trial run and activated the spell in his bedroom, not expecting much. Surely Tony was being dramatic about missing him.  
  
At first, it felt like someone was squeezing his heart. Stephen's hands pulled on his blouse over his sternum, trying to distract himself from it. Ok, this was bad. Not extremely painful, but enough to be distracting.  
  
Then his bonding mark began hurting. And not just a little. It felt like someone had scrapped the skin off it and was now stabbing the wound. Stephen whimpered and felt his knees go weak, his instincts screaming at him after being denied for so long. All he could think about was his mate. He felt like he couldn't breathe because Tony's scent wasn't around. His pulse was drumming in his ears. Was he dying?

* * *

Tony was tinkering in his workshop, trying to make his frustration productive. Rhodey had caught on that he was mated to the sorcerer and his disapproval was still a heavy fragrance in the air. At this point, the alpha might even agree.  
  
Stephen hadn't sought him out for two weeks at this point and the alpha was fucking angry. He wanted to see how long it would take for once. Everyone else had caught on that Iron Man was in a bad mood and they were avoiding him. He'd vaporized an evil robot to let off steam and the usual villains seemed to be waiting for him to cool down before they tried anything. The lack of fights was making him even crankier.  
  
The distinct sound of a portal opening made him scoff and turn around to scold his dumb mate, but he froze before he opened his mouth. An exquisite smell shied in, faint and familiar as though from a dream.  
  
"Stephen?"  
  
His mate jumped on him, arms squeezing him tight and nose burried into the side of his neck to feel his scent.  
  
"Alpha, I'm sorry, alpha, I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Woah!"  
  
Tony held him, sniffing at his mate in confusion. The scent of omega was almost gone, but it had been there. Distressed omega, to be precise.  
  
The alpha did his best to let out soothing pheromones, kissing his mate's neck and nibbling lightly at his scent gland to comfort him. It took Stephen a long 10 minutes to begin calming down.  
  
"Better?" Tony asked. He got a nod in response. The alpha relaxed minutely. Ok, his beta had obviously been through some shit while they'd been away. "Christ, what happened to you, Stephen?"  
  
"Alpha... mate." Stephen kissed him deeply, then took half a step back to look into his eyes.  
  
"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but what brought this on?"  
  
"I..." The beta took a deep breath, pulling himself together. "I found a spell. To restore my... omega status."  
  
"And?"  
  
"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize my instincts were so muted as a beta."  
  
"What did it feel like?"  
  
"Like a piece of me had been ripped away. I'm sorry I made you feel like that."  
  
Tony sighed and cupped his cheeks. He scanned his mate, but he couldn't say what he was looking for. There were still traces of tears on his cheeks, which he wiped with his thumbs.   
  
"Why didn't you believe me?"  
  
The beta bowed his head in shame.  
  
"Do you believe me now?"  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry."  
  
Sorry shouldn't be enough. It shouldn't have cut it. God knew how many omegas had tried to apologise to Tony Stark and he'd still rejected them. He should've stepped away and kicked him out, just to make him feel what he felt.  
  
But fuck, this was his mate. They were bound together and had to make things work. Holding a grudge would be counterproductive.  
  
"Okay." Tony guided them to the couch. Stephen curled around him.  
  
"I still say that being an omega is the worst."  
  
The alpha chuckled and kissed his sulking mate.

* * *

"How would you feel about spending a heat together? Properly," Stephen asked a few months later.  
  
They'd been laying in bed, naked, blankets tangled in some sort of pile which Tony was reluctant to call nest. Stephen had taken to being an omega for a bit every few days, just to check on the bond. They'd quickly figured that omegas did feel the separation more potently than alphas.  
  
"You want a child?"  
  
"No. I can't afford to be pregnant. I don't even know how my beta body would react to a pregnancy and holding the spell for that long would be impossible." Stephen sighed, moving to rest his head on his alpha's chest. "I feel that it would help us bond?" he tried.  
  
"You know your scent changes when you're lying, right?"  
  
The beta bit on his collarbone, but Tony just chuckled. He ran his hand over the other's back, then messed his hair.  
  
"I'd love to, but I want to know why," he amended.  
  
"I... I don't want that to be our only heat together."  
  
The alpha lifted his head to see his mate, surprise written all over his face. Huh. He also didn't want an accident to be their only memory of such an important bonding moment for most couples, but he'd thought that was what dating Stephen Strange entailed. Apparently not.  
  
"Surprisingly romantic for a beta."  
  
"I think the omega hormones are getting to my head," the sorcerer groaned in frustration.  
  
"You don't have to keep doing this," Tony offered. "I think you've got a pretty good idea of what's going on at this point."  
  
"I want to." He felt disconnected from the bond otherwise. His omega nose was more sensitive, more likely to pick up on Tony's subtle mood changes. Being a beta in control of himself was important when he was facing demons, but seemed to get in the way of his relationship. The new spell allowed a bargain. Still, he wasn't about to tell Tony any of that.  
  
The alpha didn't need empty platitudes. The scent of happy omega was more than enough. He nibbled on the beta's mark when he felt the omega smell begin to fade, to tell his body that this was his mate now.  
  
"Okay, we'll set a day."  
  
"A week. That spell is imprecise."  
  
"Okay then. A week."

* * *

"I'm okay with you dating Dr Strange," Peter told Tony a few days later. "It's cool having my omega and alpha parent together."  
  
Tony needed to reboot his brain because everything in that sentence was unexpected.  
  
"Hit me again."  
  
"Dr Strange explained to me that he's also sort of omega when he taught me how to resist commands and I can tell that you two are dating," Peter clarified.  
  
"I feel betrayed that you knew before I did."  
  
"I got sympathy for being an omega," Peter retorted. He could tell that Tony was just messing with him.  
  
"Fine. Does he know that you know about us?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Great. Family movie night at the sanctum. You get first pick."  
  
The omega cheered.

* * *

"Stephen..."  
  
"I know," the feverish omega complained, panting. He was lying in bed in what Tony now called his nest, waiting with his mate for the heat to start. "You don't have to tell me that."  
  
Tony rubbed his mate's back soothingly. The heat had been slow to come, torturing his omega more than Tony was used to seeing. He was almost there, though. The alpha could smell the familiar fragrance in the air, now covering what had been his preheat scent.  
  
"Take me, alpha," the omega purred. "Take me."  
  
Tony kissed up and down his neck, nibbling at his shoulder. Stephen whined in complaint, pulling his knees up under him. The urge to present was almost overwhelming.  
  
"Please, alpha."  
  
Tony probed at his entrance with a finger, then two. Almost open.  
  
"Please."  
  
"Shh, I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"Fuck, it feels like I might melt if you don't."  
  
"Your hormones are just out of synch. It happens," Tony soothed. He reached between the omega's legs to jerk him off. Stephen whimpered and whined, moaning lightly when he came. "I promise I'll take good care of you."  
  
"I love you..." the omega whispered.  
  
Tony smiled and kissed his back, going up his spine to nibble at his mating gland lightly. He hoped it would speed things up.  
  
"I love you too. Now open up for me."  
  
"I'm trying," his mate complained.  
  
"I know, love. But your body isn't helping right now."  
  
"Just take me like this."  
  
"No, I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"You won't, I'll probably open up from it." Stephen looked over his shoulder. "Please, alpha."  
  
Tony moaned, rubbing himself against his mate's back. He'd been hard all day, eager and wanting. Hearing his omega beg so deliciously was pushing him to the edge of his sanity.  
  
"Alpha, please."  
  
"Okay, okay."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Tony huffed in amusement as he lined up. There was a bit of pain as his knot slid in, but the excessive slick made things more manageable.   
  
Stephen whimpered in pleasure at the intrusion, but his mate stilled. He whined.  
  
"Oh shit, am I hurting you?"  
  
He whined again, grinding back. No, fuck, he wasn't in pain, but he needed a good dicking right about 5 minutes ago!  
  
"Fuck me, you idiot!" the needy omega gritted out.  
  
"Sorry," Tony muttered, gripping Stephen's hips to brace himself.  
  
He wanted to start slowly, to help his mate open up and avoid any pain for either of them, but Stephen had other plans. He pushed back harshly, moaning.  
  
"Alpha!"  
  
Tony felt appropriately scolded. He was an alpha, he wasn't supposed to be gentle. And his omega was literally begging to be rammed. Ok, change of plans.  
  
"Finally!" Stephen groaned when the first harsh thrust rocked his hips.  
  
"Is this what you wanted, omega?" He only got unintelligible moans as an answer. Well, he'd take it. "Fuck. You feel so good. So perfect for me."  
  
Stephen was still pushing back, meeting Tony's animalistic thrusts. He dug his elbows into the mattress to further ground himself and pressed his forehead down.  
  
Soon enough, Tony felt his knot start swelling, ready to bind them together. Nope. Not before his omega came. He snuck his hand to the other's dick. Stephen whined, but stopped moving so it would be easier for Tony. The alpha leaned forward to kiss the mating bite when he started jerking off his omega. It barely took 4 jerks before Stephen was cumming with a wail. Tony immediately followed, knot locking them in place.  
  
They managed to settle down on their sides, waiting for the knot to die down. Tony was hugging his omega close and kissing up and down his neck and shoulder. Stephen moaned lightly.  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"Mhm, better. Don't stop," the other replied dizzily.  
  
"Does it hurt?" He never wanted to harm his partners.  
  
"No, nothing hurts." Scarred hands found Tony's and covered them. "Nap break?"  
  
It was a bit early, in Tony's experience, but he could feel how limp Stephen was in his arms, how tired his movements were without the heat driving him insane and decided that this would be a special heat, for more than one reason.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Love you," his omega whispered before he surrendered to exhaustion.  
  
"Love you too," the alpha answered. He held his mate until he fell asleep, knowing he needed his rest before the next wave of the heat took them.

* * *

Tony hadn't let omegas ride him since that fiasco with moaning Stephen's name. The fuckers got cocky, which annoyed him and made his dominant instincts all the more potent, which ended up badly for all parties involved. So yeah, no riding.  
  
Stephen, as usual, seemed to be an exception because fuck, seeing the omega impale himself on his dick did things to Tony. Nice things. He could just sit back and enjoy the view of his feverish mate losing his mind, moaning in bliss.  
  
Stephen leaned over, resting a hand on the alpha's chest. His hips were still frantic.  
  
"Alpha..." he whimpered.  
  
"Are you close?" Tony asked, sneaking his hands to his hips.  
  
"Yes, alpha, please, want you to knot me again," he babbled.  
  
"Soon, baby. Let's get you off first."  
  
Stephen came easily, cum splattering on Tony's chest. The alpha soon followed, fulfilling his promise of knotting his omega. With another whimper, Stephen fell forward, settling on his mate's chest.  
  
They stayed like that in silence, waiting for the knot to die down. Tony was gently petting his omega, mind wandering. Stephen seemed to have fallen asleep again.  
  
"Tony..." he whimpered.  
  
Or not.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Are we okay?" Stephen pushed himself up to look at his alpha.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Don't lie. Are we okay? You don't want to break the bond? Is this what you truly want?" He was growing agitated.  
  
"Hey, calm down." Tony cupped his cheeks. Ok, he hadn't dealt with this before, but he knew it happened. Bonded omegas got insecure during a heat. He just had to reaffirm himself. "I love you, Stephen. I'm happy with you, us. I don't want to... is this about when I said I would break the bond?" The omega nodded. Tony sighed, wiping his tears with his thumbs. Did Stephen even realize that he was crying? "I didn't want to do it then either. I was just angry and totally bluffing. I'm sorry."  
  
Stephen took a deep, steady breath and tried to pull himself together.  
  
"No, I'm sorry I'm acting like this. I just..."  
  
"Hey, you're in heat. You get a free pass for pretty much anything, maybe even murder."  
  
The omega chuckled.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
They were fine. They really were fine. They would get through anything. As Stephen settled back down, Tony's arm wrapped around his back, the alpha realized that he was actually happy. He didn't want anything to change.


End file.
